Once again it was May and we were all looking forward to a full weeks coastal walking. Eleven of us would participate in this trip with Paul joining us for the first time…… the rest being well experienced coast walk campaigners. We based ourselves in the Lakeview Guest House in Stranraer for the first three nights then moved onto the Waterside Hotel in Portpatrick for the other four nights. As the Mull of Galloway had been planned for the 2017 May walk, some of us keen to do a spring walk in March, had jumped ahead and completed three days walking from Glen Luce to Garlieston ( see Days 116,117,118 ). We used a minibus and car for this trip setting off at 6 a.m., stopping in Ayr for breakfast before driving on to Glenapp where Day 115 walk had finished. Today’s walk would follow the route of the way marked Loch Ryan Coastal Path.

It was light rain when we set off from opposite Glenapp church. After a short road walk we followed the sign posted vehicle track up and along the hillside above the A77 road. As we gained height it became misty and visibility deteriorated but we were able to follow the path and spot the way mark posts. The track took us west along the hillside towards Finnarts Bay then south, still parallel with the A77, towards Cairnryan. At Little Laight hill we stopped to view the remains of the WW2 Loch Ryan Anti Aircraft gun battery. From here we joined a vehicle track then a minor road down into Cairnryan. May is always a good month for walking with lots of colourful flora to see and the display of bluebells and other flowers made the walk round the hillside even more enjoyable. We walked through Cairnryan passed the Ferry terminal then at the sea edge crossing the several and Beoch burns.

On reaching the Ryan Bay Caravan Park at Innermessan it was disappointing to find the marked route is pushed inland round the edge of cultivated fields then onto the footpath beside the busy A77 rather than along the shore through the caravan site. This reluctance to allow walkers to walk through caravan sites, even on the beach, is an annoying, unnecessary inconvenience we have only experienced on some of our west coast walks and seems selfish and totally unnecessary.

We walked into Stanraer at the sea edge then on the concrete walk way which was unfortunately polluted with dog’s dirt. After a refreshing pint in the Custom House we made our way to our accommodation at the Lakeview Guest House.

Summary; An uphill start but a nice fairly easy walk with good underfoot conditions on an obvious path which is way marked most of the way.

Highs; Bluebells and other lovely colourful flora.

Lows; The misty weather spoiled the views from the hillside.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

READY TO SET OFF FROM GLENAPP

THE LOCH RYAN COASTAL PATH MAP AT GLENAPP

HEADING UPHILL FROM GLENAPP

THE WAYMARK POST HELPED IN THE MISTY CONDITIONS

THE REMAINS OF THE WW2 ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN EMPLACEMENTS AT LITTLE LAIGHT HILL